Ode to Mrs. Young
In fifth grade, I wrote my first book: How to Gag Yourself with a Spatula. There’s only one known copy in existence, a hand illustrated version on beige construction paper that looked like it was reconstituted from scraps of Kleenex. It was the kind of paper that fell apart with three or four strong-armed rubs from a hard pink eraser held in a tight fist.
The lovely Mrs. Young, with her dark hair and exotic eyes, hosted the book’s release in the intimate setting of her homeroom. I stood in front of 30 pairs of eyes, ignored the heat rising up my neck, and read my story. Afterward, my peers and Mrs. Young offered rave reviews, and I was hooked. Hooked on writing, on taking the seed of an idea and turning it into a story that would capture and captivate an audience.
You won’t find my earlier works on Amazon.com, or IndieBound.org for that matter. However, you may find my future works listed on those sites (here’s hoping, anyway). For now, you will find plenty of my writings, or information on where they are in print, on this blog.
I write flash fiction, short stories, essays about the craft of writing, and I’m currently working on a novel (inching my way toward a final draft). I love to interview authors, as well, believing firmly that we learn much about the craft of writing when we read what others have to say about it or when we scratch out our own ideas about it onto “paper.”
